Health reform's fragile coalition

>>> dow finished at a 13-month high. you might have followed the rare around dramatic saturday night session in washington this past weekend and the vote. democrats in the senate were able to muster 6 o that's the safe majority they needed to bring the health care reform are bill to the senate floor just to debate it. nothing close here to having something ready for the president's signature. the hard part, you series, it just getting started. our white house correspondent savannah guthrie with us from there tonight with more on this battle ahead. savannah, for people who weren't following every twist and turn, what really happened this weekend?

>> brian , it was vintage politics, a lot of arm twisting and horse trading . as you said, all democrats and two independents hung together to form a fragile coalition, one that's already starting to break and with this long health care debate starting to take a toll on the president's poll number, it's clear this white house in a s in a hurry to get health care reform done and move on. convening his cabinet today, the president barely mentioned health care , anxious to show he's focused on jobs.

>> lie not rest until businesses are investing again. and businesses are hiring again.

>> reporter: the president won a key health care victory in the senate saturday night.

>> the motion is agreed to.

>> reporter: but it was a squeaker. democrats just cobbled together the 60 votes they needed to start debate on the health care reform bill and for a moment indulge in some rare emotion.

>> kri, i just spoke to vicki denky. she, of course, was in tears and she believed that ted is watching us.

>> i have a feeling he may have be been.

>> nebraska.

>> reporter: but even as they fell in line so debate could start, senators 345id clear they can't be counted on to vote for the final bill without big changes. the government-run insurance plan known as the public option, a deal breaker.

>> and i will not vote in favor of the proposal that has been introduced by leader reid.

>> reporter: just to get this far, harry reid engaged in old-fashioned horse trading . louisiana senator mary landrieu securing hundreds of millions of dollars in extra medicaid funding for her state in what called the louisiana purchase .

>> i a not going to be defensive about asking for help in this situation and it is not a $100 million fix. it's a $300 million fix.

>> reporter: at the white house , aides focused on the end game.

>> we're happy that progress was made.

>> at any cost.

>> yeah, that's better directed to the senate.

>> reporter: well, this public option is the real sticking point right now. moderates won't live with it. liberal democrats won't live without it so probably more horse trading to come, brian .

>> all right, savannah guthrie at the white house . while we have you, on afghanistan, four more american deaths in afghanistan just over the past 24 hours . one today. just think of that thanksgiving week for their families and loved once and on that topic, what's the progress of the president's thinking and deliberations?

>> well the president is meeting tonight for the ninth and perhaps the final time with his war council in the situation room and we're told not to skpa expect a decision this week but it may come as early as next week, brian .

>> all right, savannah guthrie at the white house for us tonight. thanks.

>>> a recent bitter dispute has